Here is a saying about being a professional firefighter that was published in “Last Alarm: True Stories of Fire Fighters” (page 75) by Jerry Laughlin. I am not sure who said it as it was not credited in the book.
I think that it speaks volumes and gives credo to the whole volunteer vs. career argument.
The fact that you are a paid fire fighter in no way makes you a professional. The fact that you are a volunteer fire fighter in no way makes you a professional.
You become a professional only when you exhibit on the fire ground those professional skills that you have acquired over the years…
Your conduct on the fire ground is and will be the only yardstick by which your superiors and the public can judge you and the organization you represent…
Truer words were never spoken. Thanks for putting this out there.
“Your conduct on the fire ground is and will be the only yardstick by which your superiors and the public can judge you and the organization you represent…”
I think this is a dangerous assumption that could lead younger members to forget to be courteous when not actually fighting a fire. The other 99.985% of their work days.
A Professional takes pride in their appearance and demeanor. A Professional seeks out information and skills that will allow them to excel at their tasks both at and when not at a fire.
A well practiced firefighter who can accomplish tasks on the fireground is not a Professional if he is late to work, drives without due regard, wanders the store in shorts and a dirty T-shirt and uses foul language in public. A volunteer who parks their POV without consideration when not responding, flaunts their membership for favors or abuses the club fund is no Professional no matter how many trenches they can cut in 5 minutes.
If we were simply looking at Professionalism through the glasses of a structural firefighter, this would be last on my list of ways to define them. On the list for sure, but certainly not at the top.
I expanded at HMHQ.
I replied here: http://firecritic.com/2010/10/my-view-of-the-definition-of-a-professional-fire-fighter-for-the-happy-medics-musings/
Rhett,
I couldn’t disagree with this statement more. Professionalism goes far beyond ones performance at a scene. Take my two examples, both of which I have encountered in my career…
You have a volunteer firefighter who is THE best in the department. No one disputes that. After the call though he likes to head out to the bar in whatever his chief designates as their department uniform and enjoy s few beers to unwind after the time spent on a fire scene still smelling like structure fire, and reliving it for everyone around to hear. Is that professional behavior??
Take that same hero ( and you are all heroes) and this time let’s put him in a paid department. Again he’s a great fire fighter. When he shows up at the scene and steps off his piece everyone else feels safer, however he has some short comings.
He’s frequently late for work causing those he relieves to get held over. When it comes to station chores he slacks off and does as little as possible, but like I said on the fireground he’s a god. Do you think his peers and superiors view him as professional? I doubt it.
Don’t lose sight of what professionalism really is. It goes far beyond how well you perform the tasks of your job. A large part of it is how you act and carry yourself away from a scene.
Scott, I agree with you that both of these guys have some areas of improvement.
That being said, the statement is very simplistic. No one is perfect.
Are they “professional” on the fireground? According to you, yes. Are they “professional” away from the scene? No.
This statement is not absolute. It is simply a statement.
Professionalism is what goes unnoticed. First off, I’m not a pillar of perfection or professionalism. I consider being a firefighter a privilege and try my best to always conduct myself in a professional manner at the scene, at the house, and most importantly when I’m in the community (on or off duty). Must of you who visit the kids in schools during fire prevention week know that kids remember us, usually by name too. With three young boys I’m out in the community at sporting events, birthday parties, etc all the time. Countless times kids come up and say stuff like “aren’t you firefighter Mike?” or “I saw you driving the fire truck”. In my opinion, how we act and conduct ourselves in these types of situations is a measure of professionalism. Technically, we are “off the clock” and on our own time but we still should think like a professional firefighter. Just my thoughts!
Rhett,
I am with you….I am a very performance based person, I personally do not care what firefighter look like (are dressed in) while they are at the store doing inspections or training. As long as they are courteous during emergency, and non emergency situations, and can perform when they need to I do not care.
I also agree that while volunteer or career does not make you a professional, they are also completely different aspects of the the fire service. 10 years of volunteering at a station that only runs 10 calls a month is not the same as working a busy career department running 10 calls a shift, and vice versa. The biggest difference is the expectation. Career departments have an expectation to perform and when they do not do so they are reprimanded, I can not count the number of times a volunteer department has messed up only to counter with the “we are just volunteers” line. This is in no way a diss, or demeaning post towards vollies I was one for 10 years, and still would be today if not for having 2 jobs and 2 kids. I hope it still exists here in my area when my children are old enough to participate.